flstandardbreds Chapter 116 Resisting Robbery and Seeking the Wine Recipe Again
Chapter 116 Resisting Robbery and Seeking the Wine Recipe Again
Seeking a new recipe for wine to resist robbery
Young Master Xiao's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Su Yunlan's head, instantly sobering her up.
She put down the ancient book in her hand, her gaze sharp as a hawk's, and swept over Young Master Xiao: "Take someone away? Who do they want to take away?"
"From what I've heard, they seem to be looking for the older generation who used to work at Chen's Distillery, especially those who might have had access to the core recipe," Young Master Xiao explained anxiously, sweat beading on his forehead. "The brewmasters at Chen's Distillery refuse to cooperate with us; they're trying to find another way!"
Su Yunlan raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning on her.
It seems that those wine merchants weren't all fools. Knowing that the method of aging wines by the winemakers wasn't working, they started to look for other ways, trying to get the recipe out of their old partners.
A cold glint flashed in her eyes; those people really had a lot of nerve.
"Xiao Shisi, immediately find all the elderly people who worked at Chen Family Winery and temporarily house them in the villa. No one is allowed to approach without my permission." Su Yunlan's tone was calm and unyielding. She turned to Xiao Yuhan and said, "Yuhan, increase the security around the winery. Everyone entering and leaving must be carefully checked. We absolutely cannot let anyone sneak in."
Xiao Yuhan nodded, his eyes full of appreciation and trust. He knew Su Yunlan's abilities and trusted her decisions. He immediately arranged for people to carry out Su Yunlan's orders.
His voice was deep and strong: "I'll take care of it right away."
Su Yunlan acted decisively and swiftly. Her command put the entire distillery on high alert, turning it into a well-functioning, precisely controlled machine.
Just as everyone in the distillery was on high alert, a commotion arose from outside, mixed with people's whispers.
Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan walked to the door and saw many people pointing and talking about the winery.
"I heard that the wine from this distillery is made from old rice and is not good at all."
"Yes, I heard they use some secret method to make the wine cloudy."
"I don't know where they got the courage to open a winery here."
Su Yunlan frowned. Needless to say, this was definitely the work of Wu the wine merchant. These rumors were clearly spread on purpose to ruin the winery's reputation.
She sneered. These people are really insidious; they can't stand to see others do well.
"Yuhan, send people to investigate and find out where these rumors are coming from." Su Yunlan
Xiao Yuhan's eyes also turned cold. He clenched his fists, sensing Su Yunlan's anger, and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, I will find out the truth."
Just then, a figure sneaked past the street corner, glanced warily at the distillery, and hurriedly left.
When Young Master Xiao saw him, a meaningful smile appeared on his face, and he said, "Sister-in-law, I think I've discovered an interesting person..."
A sly smile curled at the corner of Young Master Xiao's lips. Like a fox that had caught the scent of its prey, he vanished silently into the crowd.
Before long, he returned with a man, who was none other than Liu, the bartender at the tavern.
Liu the bartender hunched over, his face plastered with a fawning smile. He kept wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his eyes darting around, looking both nervous and excited.
Young Master Xiao patted his shoulder, signaling him to relax.
"Liu the bartender, your wife wants to know some of the real situation about the distillery. Just tell us everything you know, and you'll be well rewarded." Young Master Xiao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.
Liu, the wine merchant, nodded repeatedly. He was not a loyal person to begin with. He was bribed by Wu, the wine merchant, only because he was interested in the small benefits Wu offered. Now that the Xiao family was gaining momentum, he naturally knew what to choose.
He recounted the recent situation at the distillery and the schemes and plots of the Wu wine merchant in great detail.
It turns out that those who spread the rumors were all hired by Wu the wine merchant. He even revealed that Wu the wine merchant was secretly collecting old account books about Chen's winery, trying to find clues about the recipe.
Upon hearing this, Young Master Xiao raised an eyebrow, a smug smile appearing on his lips. He turned to Su Yunlan and said, as if seeking praise, "Sister-in-law, this bartender Liu is quite useful."
Su Yunlan narrowed her eyes slightly. After listening to Liu the bartender's report, she already had a plan in mind.
She instructed Young Master Xiao to have Liu the bartender stay at the tavern and keep a close eye on Wu the wine merchant's movements. At the same time, she also began to adjust the winery's marketing strategy, no longer pursuing high prices, but winning the market with affordable prices and excellent quality.
As night fell, the bright moonlight shone through the windows into the corner of the distillery, casting a hazy silver glow over the place.
Xiao Yuhan stood quietly behind Su Yunlan, watching her furrow her brows as if she were deep in thought.
He reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. His broad chest felt warm and reliable, and Su Yunlan felt a sense of security emanating from him, which relaxed her tense nerves.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright." Xiao Yuhan's voice was deep and gentle, like a summer night breeze, caressing Su Yunlan's heart.
Su Yunlan leaned gently against Xiao Yuhan's chest, feeling his strong arms and warm breath. She looked up and gazed into his deep eyes.
"Yuhan, do you think those people went to such lengths to get the brewing recipe because they know something?" Su Yunlan's voice broke the momentary silence.
Xiao Yuhan tightened his grip on her arm slightly. "Perhaps, but whatever they know, we will find the answer."
Su Yunlan slowly shook her head, a glint of light flashing in her eyes, her tone firm, "No, I think the key to the problem isn't the formula itself..."
Su Yunlan's gaze fell on a yellowed old ledger of the Chen Family Winery spread out on the table, her slender fingers gliding over the lines of records.
Suddenly, she stopped, her gaze fixed on a name—"Old He".
This name appeared multiple times in the ledgers, each time related to the procurement of special brewing materials, which were mentioned in the "lost secret recipe" by the winemaker.
A strange intuition told her that this Old He was the key person she had been searching for.
Excitement gleamed in Su Yunlan's eyes. She immediately ordered a car to be prepared, deciding to personally visit Old He.
Upon hearing this, Miss Sun also eagerly requested to go along, as she was full of curiosity about the brewing technique and longed to meet this mysterious figure who might have mastered the complete recipe.
The carriage rumbled along, carrying the two towards the outskirts of the city. The scenery along the way rushed past them, and Su Yunlan's heart was filled with anticipation, as if she was about to uncover a long-buried secret.
However, just as they were about to reach Lao He's residence, a familiar figure blocked their way.
The winemaker's face was gloomy, and his eyes flashed with a complex light. He said in a low voice, "Madam Su, I advise you not to waste your energy. Some things are not for you to interfere with."
Su Yunlan was not intimidated by his words. A confident smile appeared on her lips: "Mr. Chen, you are overthinking it. I just wanted to ask Lao He some questions about brewing. I have no other intentions." Her tone was gentle yet firm, showing no sign of backing down.
The brewer was about to say something more when Su Yunlan cleverly interrupted him: "Mr. Chen, you were once a master brewer at the Chen Family Distillery. Don't you want to know the complete recipe?" This sentence hit the brewer's weak spot. He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he did not stop her.
The carriage continued its journey and finally arrived at its destination.
However, what greeted them was a tightly closed door and shocking news from their neighbors: "Old He? He was picked up by Wu the wine merchant's men yesterday..." Miss Sun gasped and looked at Su Yunlan.
Su Yunlan's expression shifted between light and shadow in the afterglow of the setting sun.